Connolly Appeals Sentence for Southport Hate Tweet

Lucy Connolly, wife of former Conservative councillor Raymond Connolly, is appealing her 31-month prison sentence for a social media post made during unrest after the Southport attacks, in which she called for 'mass deportation' and urged followers to 'set fire' to hotels housing asylum seekers. She pleaded guilty to inciting racial hatred but told the Court of Appeal she was 'really angry, really upset' over the deaths of three girls and did not intend to incite violence, deleting the post after several hours. Connolly claimed her legal counsel had not fully explained the implications of her plea. The Court of Appeal has reserved judgment on her appeal. Supporters demonstrated outside the court, and her husband expressed hope for a favorable decision. The case has sparked debate over freedom of expression and the consequences of incendiary social media posts.